Mobile digital radiography x-ray carts typically carry multiple wireless digital radiography (DR) detectors of different sizes. The detectors are secured in multiple uniquely sized bins or slots built into the cart. Because the detectors' rechargeable battery power is depleted during use, each detector bin typically contains a charging port that physically electrically engages a corresponding connector in the detector to recharge its battery between patient exams.
This conventional method of charging is restrictive in that it requires (1) a separate bin per detector size, which may or may not be utilized for a particular cart; (2) matching electrical connectors on the cart (power transmitters) and detector (power receiver) for each bin; (3) a single insertion orientation of the detector into the bin to align the matching connector and charging port, i.e., not backwards or upside down, since the detector(s) can only be charged when properly inserted into the bin. In addition, many digital radiography x-ray carts are retrofitted, meaning that an analog x-ray cart has been converted into a digital radiography cart. In this instance, the original cart bin does not contain any charging mechanism (since it was designed for film cassettes). For such a cart, extra rechargeable batteries need to be carried, at additional cost and space requirements, to enable the detector to retain battery power for least one examination round.
Finally, mobile digital radiography x-ray carts also utilize other devices that require battery power, such as barcode readers, manual prep/expose switches, removable tablets, grids, etc. which must be tethered or inserted into a unique charging port to be powered and/or to recharge. A potential solution is the use of traditional conductive/inductive wireless charging, however, this solution requires that the device(s) to be charged must be in direct physical contact with a charging transmitter which can typically only charge one device at a time.
Thus, there is a need for improved apparatus and methods for DR detector recharging that can overcome the limitations of current practices. The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.